Concerns about Notre-Dame Cathedral’s safety have resurfaced following a video featuring individuals allegedly linked to the HTS group. The video, which includes threats against France and a demonstration involving a model of the cathedral being set on fire, has sparked debate over its authenticity. Experts suggest it may be a staged operation, pointing to inconsistencies in production and platform usage. The video’s origins and potential connections to Russian narratives further complicate the situation.
Is Notre-Dame Cathedral Facing New Threats?
In the wake of the accidental fire that ravaged Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris back in 2019, concerns have resurfaced regarding potential threats to this iconic structure. Recently, a brief video clip, about 20 seconds long, circulated online, showing three hooded individuals purportedly associated with the HTS group, which gained control in Syria after the fall of Bashar al-Assad.
The central figure in the video speaks Arabic, calling for the release of ‘brother Brahim Aouissaoui,’ a suspect in the 2020 Nice basilica attack. He ominously warns that if their demands are not met, ‘the wrath of God will fall upon your people here in France,’ while another individual demonstrates these threats by setting fire to a model of Notre-Dame.
Analyzing the Authenticity of the Video
This video, which has been widely shared on the X network, particularly by the French-speaking account ‘Trump Fact News,’ has sparked significant interest. A researcher specializing in jihadist networks, Laurence Bindner, raised concerns about the video’s authenticity, suggesting it might be a ‘false flag operation’ by individuals masquerading as HTS members.
Bindner pointed out that the video’s emergence coincided with an account linked to HTS, but it spread through suspicious profiles that rarely engage with HTS’s usual communication channels, which typically include Telegram. Additionally, the lack of official branding, such as a logo or introductory thumbnail, raises questions about its legitimacy. The threats made in the video contradict HTS’s current stance, which aims to distance itself from terrorism as it seeks international recognition.
France 24 journalist Wassim Nasr described the production as ‘ridiculous and absurd,’ noting the unconvincing costumes and the speaker’s ‘Egyptian accent.’ He emphasized that the video was circulated through anonymous channels that diverge from HTS’s typical platforms. An expert from the UK echoed this sentiment, confidently asserting that the video is ‘100% fake.’
As speculation grows about the video’s origins, similarities to a previous fake Hamas video from July 2024, linked to pro-Russian narratives, have emerged. This raises more questions regarding the motivations behind the creation and distribution of such content. While it’s unclear whether this video is connected to Russian destabilization efforts, some users who shared it on X have ties to Russian media outlets.
If you have any questions or wish to report suspicious information, feel free to reach out to us at [email protected]. You can also follow our updates on X, where our team is active under the handle @verif_TF1LCI.